The 13 Colonies Special Event is an annual amateur radio event held from July 1 to July 7, celebrating the original 13 American colonies with special event stations worldwide.

Event Overview

The 13 Colonies Special Event is a not-for-profit amateur radio event that commemorates the original 13 American colonies. It features one station for each colony (K2A–K2M) and three bonus stations: WM3PEN (Philadelphia), GB13COL (England), and TM13COL (France), representing their historical roles in America’s colonial period. The event allows ham radio operators and shortwave listeners (SWLs) to participate by making contacts with these stations.

Dates and Times

For 2026, the event runs from July 1 at 9:00 AM Eastern Time (1300 UTC) to July 7 at midnight Eastern Time (July 8, 0400 UTC) Participants can log contacts with any of the stations during this period.

Participation and Awards

Operators can choose to make a single contact with one station or attempt a Clean Sweep, contacting all 13 colony stations and the 3 bonus stations. Each station provides a special QSL card and a unique certificate each year. Participants can track stations using DX spotting networks such as DX Summit.

History

The event was founded by Ken Villone, KU2US, in 2008, inspired by the ARRL Sweepstakes. Villone led the event for 16 years, printing certificates for thousands of participants. The ARRL did a story about Ken, read here.